The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-06-24
STORY OF A RECLUSE.

/ In one of the mountainous counties
/ ~ Wales there lived for many years. a
/ hermit OF whom no one had any knowl-
edge.
His abode was q cave, In a wild rerion;
md he never appeared among his follow
! beings except TO obtain such neces sal les
Is his hermit life required.
He would never, while living, reveal
as name nor place of birth, nor Inc
I :ause which had led him TO s,clude him
| Jelf from the world.
/ One day a couple OF traveller, pass
/ ng through that region, visited the cave
! and found the hermit not only dead, but
/ q state of decomposition.
/ The body, after al inquest. was bur
| ed, and some garments, and a few trill-s
( which belonged 70 the decease /. w-Te
! deposited at the nearest magistrates
office. with g full statement OF the facts.
In q pocket of one Of these garments
| vas found a manuscript, supposed to
! have been written ty the deceaSe :, and
which, as it tells its own story we here
.ranscribe without word OF comment:
l was born in a year | shall not record.
! n place / shall not reveal, and under
name l shall not di close.
For many long years I have been dead
to the world. and my desire now is that
the waves OF oblivion shall roll over me
and leave me as IL had never been.
And yet there are some fucts il my
life which wish to set forth.
Why?
Well, doubt If could tell any one
why.
Ionly know that the impulse is on me
TO write them down. perhaps to destroy
the record when done.
My youth passed. pleasantly.
had kind, induIg mt and pious pa
rents, who sought To make my life a
happy one.
was sent to school at an early age.
and kept th.re till l had acquired a good
English educ ton.
Then. al IL own request, became an
under. l.rE IN the large dry goods estab-
lishmeht OF a prOsI eTOu5 merchant.
B. strict iutegr " and diligence I
gradual, rose 10 q first position.
At two-end-twenry 1 had the conf
Genc' of nv employer, and was often
invited to Ills dwelling.
At first this made ule very happy; and
as l looked forward then the fusure
seemed very bright. But, alas, und
alas this was tho beginning OF q sorrow
which will never end while L remain on
earth.
My employer had daughter kind,
gentle, lovely being-who, to my enrap-
tured vision. seemed an angel Just come
down from Paradise.
From the moment I first beheld her
my whole soul went out to her. and
from that time forth could conceive Of
no enjoyment In which she had no part
AS L am confessing this to myself, or
to wor that VIII never know me, /
Will say that loved her to 4 degreee Of
worship which made her q something
above and beyond my reach and though
naturally easy and fluent IN conversation,
could not speak to her without chang
ing color, and choking. and appear
ing more Ike an idiot than man OF
sense.
This made me avoid meeting her when
alone, or pressing forward 10 take my
chance with those who were seeking her
at every opportunity. perhaps because
OF liking for herself perhap7 because
OF liking for the money she would in
herit.
do not think she ever suspected me
OF having any regard for her beyond that
OF her being the daughter OF my employ
er whom / was in duty bound to treat
with respectful Difference. and certain
l an she had no conception OF tho holy
love and worship I secretly gave her.
As have said, / avoided as much as
possible coming in contact with her
wonld have gone mile out OF my way
rather than speak to her, and yet her
presence, In any company OF which /
formei part WIS q glowing Joy. and
her ahsenc0 a depressing void.
Among her numerous suitorS was q
hd"nce under our employer similar to
my own, and who. when We were alone
together, was always praising her sweet
ness and beauty. and proclaiming his
own undying love.
"OA, fancy the golden moment when
! shall be able to clasp her dear little
hand In mine, and call her by the -ndear-
ing name OF wife" he would sometimes
exclaim, or use words of similar import;
and when 1 would as often turn aside, to
conceal the feelings that would almost
overpower me, he would mistake the ac-
ton for dislike OF the subject.
"Ah," be one day said to me- " per-
ceive my darling finds no favor in your
sight; and she knows you do rot like
her; but for my sake l trust that you
will not let her see that you absolutely
hate the sight OF her person, and the
mention OF her name"
This to me. whose excess of love for
the ohirct in question was consuming
me like an inward fire.
Man :" cried 1, turning upon him with
the glaring fury OF q beast, "if you
loved that being with one tenth of the
passion that is destroying me you would
cut your wagging tongue from your e. p
ing mouth ere yo1 would permit SO
fippa:t a mention OF so sacred q nam"
From that moment he ceased to spc Il
of her In my presence, and /. feeling Il It
She was lost to me forever only secre. Iy
worshipped her from afar.
So matters drifted on for q time, and I
became miserable over my solitary
brooding; and while / wished myself far
enough from the scene of a rivals tri-
umph, shrank from the thought of going
where l should never look upon my idol
again.
One night. having forgotten something
at the store, l procured the key from
the porter and entered the building.
To my surprise, / soon perceived the
glimmer OF light in the counting room,
and on approaching II cautiously, think
Ing there might be . burglar a. work.
was still more surprised TO SEQ tho safe
door open, and my rival seated on the
floor apparently counting large roll of
bank-notes.
Well, this looks like singular night
work :" said 1.
With startled cry. he fairly lesped to
his feet, letting the money fall around
him, and turned towards me one of the
most CHASTITY faces I ever beheld.
After looking straight IN Iny face for a
few moments. during which he shook